Should I upgrade from iPhone 12, 12 Pro to iPhone 13?

The biggest reasons to consider are the camera upgrades, video capabilities, and longer battery life.

Compare specifically iPhone 13 with iPhone 12

All iPhone 13 models are equipped with a new video recording feature called Cinematic mode that automatically switches focus between subjects. This makes the video shot by the iPhone more aesthetically pleasing, more like a movie. This is a useful feature for those who often use iPhone to record videos.

Apple shared that Cinematic leverages the power of the new A15 Bionic processor, but in the past it has brought similar features to older iPhones through software updates. It is not clear if Cinematic will be updated for iPhone 12 or not.

Should I upgrade from iPhone 12, 12 Pro to iPhone 13? Picture 1

The wide-angle camera on standard iPhone 13 models is also improved for better light capture. iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini also inherit the image stabilization technology by shifting the sensor of the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Apple also introduced a new feature called Photographic Styles, which allows users to apply certain options to a scene in an image. Apple says the feature is different from a filter because it can apply appropriate adjustments to ensure elements like skin tone are accurately preserved.

As usual, the biggest camera improvements will be on the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. Now all three cameras of the iPhone 13 Pro duo have Night mode. iPhone 13 Pro is also updated with the ability to shoot macros at a minimum distance of 2cm, ProRes video recording and all the camera features of the iPhone 13.

iPhone 12 is still equipped with Apple's 12MP dual camera system with wide angle and super wide angle lenses. Meanwhile, iPhone 12 Pro has 3 12MP cameras with wide, ultra-wide and telephoto lenses. Most of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 camera features are the same except for the new iPhone 13-only features mentioned above.

In terms of processor, the A15 Bionic chip on the iPhone 13 delivers faster speeds and better battery life than the iPhone 12's A14 Bionic chip. Now, the iPhone 13 will have 2.5 hours longer battery life compared to the iPhone 12's A14 Bionic chip. iPhone 12 while iPhone 13 mini is 1.5 hours longer than iPhone 12 mini. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will have 1.5 hours and 2.5 hours longer battery life, respectively, than the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

With the iPhone 13 you'll also get more storage. The cheapest iPhone 13 version has 128GB of storage instead of 64GB compared to the cheapest iPhone 12. The next version will have a capacity of 512GB instead of 256GB. The iPhone 13 Pro models also have a 1TB storage capacity option while the iPhone 12 Pro has a maximum option of just 512GB.

Conclude

Keep using your iPhone 12 unless you really want to shoot cinematic-style videos or take macros with your iPhone and need longer-lasting battery life. Also, if you have a lot of money, ignore our advice and buy everything you like.

David Pac

Update 21 September 2021